Ear Cleanings?

[TimK]

I recently heard that you can get your ears "professionally cleaned" and it can make a huge difference.

Anybody know anything about this? What does it entail? How much does it cost? Will medical insurance cover it? Do you think it is worth it? Did it work? anything else?

I suppose as you get older stuff builds up in there and can cause some hearing loss.

Is this a myth or legit?

[jpTron]

Put peroxide in your ear for a few minutes

[Nashrakh]

It's legit. At least that your ear wax can cause effects on sound perception.

I had to let a doc handle this once because one of my ears was completely blocked. He mainly removed the ear wax by shooting water into my ears, with a lot of pressure of course. Cleaned them out completely and I was able to hear a million times better.

I dunno about any 'professional cleaning' though...

It's a very simple procedure though, you can do it yourself.

[ez-rhino]

I had an ear cleaning by an E/N/T (ear, nose and throat) doctor once, about 9 years ago. Very painful. He used what was essentially a "water pick", and needle-tip surgical picks.

Insurance covered what I went there for in the first place, but not the ear cleaning (cost me about $300 out of pocket).

Do yourself a favour: if you really want your ears cleaned, go to a health food store (like GNC, or a vitamin store) and get some "ear candles".

Yes, they work.

Don't believe the naysayers on the internet - I've done it many times, works like a charm if you do it right. It basically sucks the excess ear wax out. If you do it right, the wax accumulates in the bottom of the cone, you'll be able to tell if you did it right.

A package of two costs less than $5, takes about 15-20 min.

[MonetBass]

I've had 100% blockage before, and after the irrigation procedure Nashrakh described above, the nurse told me how to avoid this in the future:
* While showering, allow some hot water into your ears
* While drying off, gently insert a q-tip into each ear, rotate and remove

If you do this periodically, you shouldn't have to worry about ear wax build-up again.

[TimK]

Oooh fast responses. Thanks!

By professionally I'm assuming a Doctor did it.

I don't have any blockage (that I know of) but was curious to see if this is a regualr thing that people do.

Sometimes I can mumble and I talk really loud when I'm on the phone, so I';m wondering if I may be having some hearing loss or if there is some build up that I can remove.

I should say that I wear really great custom molded 25 db reducing ear plugs at almost all my gigs. best investment I ever made. But I still think there may be some loss due to time and the amount of expcosure to high db's (even if they are reduced)

Any more info about the "ear candles" or DIY methods?

[Goodlawdy]

For me, using q tips gets some wax out but pushes some further into the canal. It has caused blockages time & again. I only use the drops now about twice a year.

There are several brands of over the counter ear drops that are like an oily peroxide solution. You put the drops in your ear canal and lay on your side. As the drops get behind the wax in your ear canal you will begin to feel the bubbling peroxide as it reaches your eardrum and pushes the wax forward. You then rinse with warm water using bulb that comes with it.

[stu1965]

do not do this. its bs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling

[ez-rhino]

Originally Posted by stu1965

do not do this. its bs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling

respectfully disagree.

I've done it many times, works for me. If people don't do it correctly, then they'll not get the wax out and raise the BS flag. It's cheap and effective, but apparantley not for everyone.

[TimK]

Originally Posted by stu1965

do not do this. its bs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling

Seems a little odd.

Not that I don't belive it won't work, but I guess I;d rather have a Doctor do something. I would trust myself.

I thought the candle part was a metaphor or something not an actual candle.

[TimK]

Originally Posted by Goodlawdy

For me, using q tips gets some wax out but pushes some further into the canal. It has caused blockages time & again. I only use the drops now about twice a year.

There are several brands of over the counter ear drops that are like an oily peroxide solution. You put the drops in your ear canal and lay on your side. As the drops get behind the wax in your ear canal you will begin to feel the bubbling peroxide as it reaches your eardrum and pushes the wax forward. You then rinse with warm water using bulb that comes with it.

Does this improve your hearing at all? Or is it just for hygene?

[Skitch it!]

I've had my ears syringed a few times because of wax buildup (I use customs), I'd let the doc do it personally, I wouldn't try anything pressurised for your ear yourself, you can rupture the ear drum. Ear buds can tend to compact the wax around your inner ear rather than remove it, and if you have wax there and push it down to the ear drum with a cotton bud, that stings and isn't good. IME put a little dropper of warm olive oil into each ear 4-5 days before going to the doctor and getting them syringed, it softens the wax and breaks it down a little, it's hard to remove if it's dry.

[Stanley Design]

Originally Posted by ez-rhino

respectfully disagree.

I've done it many times, works for me. If people don't do it correctly, then they'll not get the wax out and raise the BS flag. It's cheap and effective, but apparantley not for everyone.

Sorry dude. You've been duped.

Originally Posted by Wikepedia

Several studies have shown that ear candles produce the same residue when burnt without ear insertion and that the residue is simply candle wax and soot.

[Jazz Ad]

Originally Posted by MonetBass

I've had 100% blockage before, and after the irrigation procedure Nashrakh described above, the nurse told me how to avoid this in the future:
* While showering, allow some hot water into your ears
* While drying off, gently insert a q-tip into each ear, rotate and remove

If you do this periodically, you shouldn't have to worry about ear wax build-up again.

Actually q-tips are the main reason for wax building up inside your ears.
If you never use q-tips or other exotic cleaning devices, you are likely to never ever experience wax occlusion.
A wet pinky will do a fine job, that's what it's for.

[tangentmusic]

This is serious business.
I've had wax build-up removed by a doctor 3 times in the last ten years.
It starts building up.You start losing your hearing gradually until you're in the shower or swimming. Then instantly the water "seals off" the ear until you cannot hear at all. Very disturbing.

The Experts say never put anything in your ear except your elbow. (so does your Mum)

The Doc will irrigate the ear with that water pick type instrument, then use a metal hook to remove the "plug". I was amazed at what came out.

Apparently, some people just produce more of it then others.

I was suprised by how clear my hearing became after cleaning. Things seemed so crisp. Treble sounds became crystalline again.
It really can creep up on you over time without your noticing.

From my Doc:
Do not use ear candles (i've tried them too)
Do not use Q-tips (they pack it in further)
Do not try to irrigate yourself (the eardrum is very delicate & can be easily damaged)
Peroxide may work in slight cases, but when their plugged
always go to the specialist to have it done.

As musicians, we must take good care of our hearing. Professional attention is safer than any home remedy.

[thomashawk]

I've had my ears professionally cleaned, and it was extremely helpful. Also, ear candling is BS. I am generally a "natural" cure person, but yea...that's bs.

Steps:
1) Call your dr to let them know, and they will probably advise you to -
2) Use hydrogen peroxide a couple times a day for about a week. This will loosen the hard wax.
3) Go to the dr's, and they will use a plastic syringe and squirt water into your ear. The water will displace the wax which will come out. You will be absolutely shocked by what you see! The wax is black and often half the size of your pinky finger.

There are also over-the-counter methods which are just as effective, but there is no reason to use some proprietary mixture when hydrogen peroxide is the same active ingredient, and is much cheaper.

The day you remove the wax will be one of the more aurally interesting days of your life!

[groov'ster]

Ear candles absolutely work, without question! I was a nay-sayer but then tried them, even did some tests to see if it was a gimmick. They are for real.

[ez-rhino]

Originally Posted by groov'ster

Ear candles absolutely work, without question! I was a nay-sayer but then tried them, even did some tests to see if it was a gimmick. They are for real.

Agreed.

People tend to believe everything they've read on the interwebz. I didn't believe it either until I tried them.

[StrangerDanger]

Dont use a screwdriver. Its not as good an idea as you think.

[DanNowhere]

I have to have my doctor irrigate my ears once in a while. Damn allergies. I used to use the peroxide/bulb syringe method until I ended up getting some water trapped in my ear canal trying to rinse out the peroxide. Misery. And I would never stick anything with a flame that close to my head.